Attachment for filling machines



Sept. 4, 1962 H. D. MANAS 9 ATTACHMENT FOR FILLING MACHINES Filed June22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 HF I q .3

INVENTOR HERMAN v. MAN/as,

Sept. 4, 1962 H. D. MANAS ATTACHMENT FOR FILLING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed June 22, 1960 INVENTOR HERMAN. D. MAN/A5 ATTORNE &

Sept. 4, 1962 H. D. MANAS 3,052,269

ATTACHMENT FOR FILLING MACHINES Filed June 22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Tia} INVENTOR HERMAN D- MANA5 ATTORNEY5 Sept. 4, 1962 H. D. MANAS3,052,269

ATTACHMENT FOR FILLING MACHINES Filed June 22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR H ERMAN D. MAN/K5 ATTORNEY$ P 4, 1952 H. D. MANAS 3,052,269

ATTACHMENT FOR FILLING MACHINES Filed June 22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR HERMAN D. MANAS ATToRNEYs 3,052,269 ATTACHMENT FOR FILLINGMACHINES Herman D. M21135, Roslyn Estates, N.Y., assignor to lyLRM.(Iompany, Inc, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 22,1960, Ser. No. 38,062 11 Claims. (Cl. 141114) This invention relates tofilling machines and more particularly to apparatus for facilitating thefilling thereby of resilient containers of plastic or other suitablematerials.

Automatic container filling machines for filling of rigid containers arewidely used. The advent of resilient containers of plastic material orthe like in recent years has, however, introduced new problems into theart of container filling. It has been found that in the use ofconventional filling machines these resilient containers tend either tocollapse when the filling head is lowered onto the neck end of thecontainer or else to become materially deformed by the pressure andweight of the applied filling head during filling. Either conditionresults in accurate filling of these containers. This is, of course, anunsatisfactory and undesirable result which no reputable distributor ofa liquid product in a resilient plastic container can tolerate.

Since filling machinery extant is complex and expensive, no bottler ordistributor of bottled products desires unnecessaryily to discardfilling machinery fully useful for ordinary rigid containers or bottlesmerely because plastic bottles and containers have become fashionableand currently are widely used.

Principal objects and features of this invention are the provision of anadjunct or attachment for conventional types of filling machines thatmay be sold separately for installation on filling machines extant orelse incorporated into new filling machines and which in either eventwill enable these machines to be fully useful in connection with thefilling of plastic containers or bottles, preventing collapse ordeformation of the latter during filling and thus insuring accuracy offill of such plastic containers.

Further objects and features of this invention are the provision of anadjunct or attachment of this character that is simple in construction,is readily installable on extant as well as new filling machines andwhich is also comparatively inexpensive.

Additional objects and features of this invention are the provision ofan adjunct or attachment of the kind described that is adjustable topermit use of the filling machine to which it is attached for fillingresilient containers of differing sizes and shapes.

Yet other objects and features of the invention are the provision of anadjunct or attachment of the kind described that includes feeler meansfor detecting absence of a container to be filled so as to then precludeejection of filling fluid by the filling head of a machine to which theadjunct is attached.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a partthereof wherein.

FIGURE 1A is a fragmentary, partially sectionalized elevation of oneform of resilient container or, bottle of plastic or other suitablematerial now in common use;

FIGURE 1B is a similar fragmentary, partially sectionalized elevation ofa different form of such container or bottle also now in common use;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the partial collapse or deformation of thecontainer of FIGURE 1A under the pressure of the filling head of aconventional filling machine during the period of fill;

States Patent ice FIGURE 3 illustrates the container of FIGURE 2restored by its natural resiliency to substantially its initialcondition after Withdrawal of the filling head, the unfilled portiondirectly below the neck representing volume lost by the collapse ordeformation of the container under pressure of the filling head duringfilling;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation of a filling machine illustrating agroup of filling heads thereof, one at a first position in advance ofthe filling station of the machine, a second at a position at the startof filling; and a third showing the conditions when no container ispresent beneath it for filling, all heads of said group shown beingequipped with adjuncts of this invention to render the machine of whichthey are part, useful for filling resilient containers of plastic orother suitable material;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of a filling head of a filling machineto which the adjunct of this invention has been applied, andillustrating the condition of parts at the initial stage of a fillingcycle and in advance of arrival of the head at the filling position;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the plane of lines 6-6 ofFIGURE 5 as seen in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along the plane of line 7-7 of FIGURE5 also as seen in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the plane of line 88 of FIGURE5 as seen in the direction of the arrows illustrating the open conditionof container neck gripping jaws of the adjunct or attachment of thisinvention as ready to receive a portion of a container neck;

FIGURE 9 is a similar view illustrating the closed condition of thesegripping jaws about a portion of the neck of a plastic container;

FIGURE 10 is a similar view of these gripping jaws when no container hasbeen in a position on the filling machine to be gripped by the jaws;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary section taken along the plane of line 11-11of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the gripping jawsviewed in the direction of the arrow 12 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary elevational view of the filling head ofFIGURE 5 in the position just after the gripping jaws of its adjuncthave seized a portion of the neck of a particular plastic container tobe filled; and

FIGURE 14 shows a succeeding position wherein the filling head has beenlowered into sealing engagement under pressure with the rim at the mouthof the plastic container and its filling nozzle exposed to permitfilling of the container with its desired fluid content without collapseor deformation of the main body of the container.

Referring to the drawing and first to FIGURES 1A, 1B, 2 and 3, thereference characters 10A and 10B respectively denote resilient bottlesor containers of plastic or similar material of conventional shapes. Theshapes shown are by way of illustration only and not by way oflimitation. A filling and dispensing neck 11A or 11B projects upwardlyof the upper surface 121A or 12B of the container, the neck preferablybeing threaded externally at 13A or 13B for the application of a.threaded cap (not shown) and having an annular external groove 14A or14B positioned on the respective neck directly adjacent the respectiveupper container surfaces 12A or 12B. Threading of the necks is notessential if closures other than a threaded cap are used.

Conventional filling machines are equipped with filling heads 15. FIGURE4 et seq. show a fragment of such a machine and such heads. Each suchhead 15 includes a tubular nozzle part 16 which may be lowered into ashape as is seen in FIGURE 3.

container to be filled through its open mouth. The part 16 is surroundedby a bellows-like resilient tubular body 17 whose lower lip 18 isadapted to engage the upper rim of a container neck 11A or the like intowhich the part 16 has been lowered. Weighted pressure on the head 15 aswill be described causes bellows 17 to press onto and effect sealingengagement between its lower lip 18 and the upper rim of the containerneck. This pressure also effects opening of the valve ports 16C in apart 16B of the nozzle part 16 in FIGURE 14 to permit filling of thecontainer. With ordinary rigid containers, the pressure necessary toeffect sealing compression between bellows '17 and container rim andalso exposure of valve ports 16C for filling causes no detectabledeformation of the containers and has no effect upon the accuracy ofcontainer fill.

On the other hand, when a resilient container of plastic material suchas container 143A or 1013 is filled, the compression pressure on thebellows 17 required for sealing and for exposure of valve ports 16C forfilling causes partial collapse or deformation of the container (A as isillustrated in FIGURE 2). This partial collapse or deformation effects areduction in available filling volume within such plastic container MFA.In consequence, when the filling head is lifted and its valve parts arewithdrawn from the seemingly full partially collapsed container 10A ofFIGURE 2, the inherent resiliency of the plastic container restores itsubstantially to its original In this restored, reexpanded condition,the rated volume of the container exists, rather than the reduced volumecaused by the partial collapse under filling head pressure duringfilling. The apparently full container of FIGURE 2 becomes the partiallyfilled container of FIGURE 3 with an unfilled volume V above the liquidlevel L. This unfilled volume V is material. It varies as a function ofthe extent of collapse of the container 16A during filling which itselfis unpredictable, depending largely upon the material and the wallstrength of each individual container. In consequence, a group ofplastic containers filled by conventional filling machines not equippedwith the adjunct or attachment of this invention vary widely andinaccurately as to their extent of fill. This variation obviously isobjectionable and must be eliminated.

The adjunct or attachment of this invention which is applicable toexisting as well as new filling machines provided with relativelymovable filling heads and containers solves the problem simply andeffectively by completely preventing collapse or distortion of theresilient container during its filling.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, a group of filling heads 15 of a conventionalfilling machine 20 are illustrated. This filling machine 20 forillustrative purposes, may be of the rotary type, the individual heads15 being supported by vertically spaced turret frame parts 21 and 22that are rotated in synchronism about a common vertical axis. Eachfilling head 15 is carried by a vertically slidable support rod 23 towhich a cam follower roller 24 is attached. This roller 24 is movable ona stationary surface cam 25 positioned between the rotary turret frameparts 21 and 22. A weight 26 biases the cam follower 24 against theupper face of stationary cam 25. Thus during turret rotation as the camfollower roller 24 moves from a high surface elevation 25A to adescending elevation 25B and again to a rising elevation 25C of saidsurface cam 25, the support rod 23 is reciprocated verticallyalternately lowering and raising the filling head 15 as required forcontainer filling operations.

Each head 15 includes a fluid receiving chamber F which is supplied withfluid in conventional ways from a common supply source (not shown). Thischamber F is secured to the lower extremity of the support rod 23. Thetubular nozzle part 16 projects downwardly from the chamber 26. Thispart in its upper portion 16A has larger diameter than at its lowerterminal part 16B (FIG- URE 14). The nozzle part has outlet ports 16C inits length and valve cap 13 at its extreme lower end. A valve sleeve 27fits slidably over the terminal part 16B of nozzle part 16, its lowerrim, being adapted to seat on the valve cap 18 to close off the ports16C. This sleeve 27 has its upper end secured to the telescopic bellowsmember 17 which in turn is secured to a sleeve 28 (FIGURE 5). Thissleeve 28 is slidably mounted on the upper portion 16a of nozzle part16. A biasing spring 2? surrounding said upper portion 1 6A normallybiases sleeve 28, bellows 17 and sleeve 27 outwardly and downwardly tothe limit permitted by the valve cap 18, so that valve ports 16C arenormally closed off to preclude discharge of fluid therefrom.

Exposure of the ports 16C occurs only when sleeve 27, bellows 17 andsleeve 28 are displaced upwardly against the biasing action of spring29. This occurs when head 15 is lowered and the lip 19 of bellows 17engages the rim of the neck 11A or 1113 of an underlying container 1-Aor 111B as the case may be. The lowering and raising of head 15 iseffected as described by the weight 26 and by interaction of camfollower 24 and the upper surfaces of stationary cam 25 as the turretparts 21 and 22 are rotated.

The adjuncts or attachments iii) of this invention are adapted to bemounted one with relationship to each head 15. Each adjunct 30 in theembodiment shown includes gripper jaws 31 intended to be operable toopen and closed positions relative to the grooves 14A or 1413 of therespective neck portions 11A or 11B of the containers 10A or 1013 aroundwhich they may be clamped. These gripper jaws 31 have gripping faces 31Aof sub stantially semi-circular shape. The jaws are pivotally carriedfrom a vertical support bar 32 in any suitable manner. In the embodimentshown, the respective jaws 31 have semi-circular recesses or grooves 33(FIGURES 11 and 12) in their upper surfaces engageable by an annular lip34 depending from the lower end of support 32. A bearing pivot 35 onwhich each jaw 31 is mounted is secured in place to the lower end ofsupport 32 as by a threaded bolt 36 (FIGURE 11). The pivoted jaws 31 arebiased toward the open condition seen in FIGURE 8 as by a tension spring37 whose opposite ends are secured to pins 38 carried by the respectivejaws 31.

The support bar 32 is slidably carried by a yoke-like bracket 39. Thisbracket 39 is secured as by clamping at 40 to the filling head supportrod 23. The parallel yoke arms 39a and 39b of this bracket 39 serve asslide guides for the support bar 32 which preferably has square or otherpolygonal shape in cross section. Spaced apart transverse holes 4-1 areprovided in the support bar 32, through any one of which a transverseheight adjustment pin 42 may be inserted. The said pin 42 is adaptednormally to rest on the upper surface of yoke arm 39A. Its position inany of the selected holes 41 determines the relative vertical elevationof the support bar 32 and the jaws 31 carried by the latter above thesurface 12A or 1213 of a selected plastic container to be filled.

A cam rod 43 extending parallel with the vertical support bar 32 isfixedly but adjustably supported by the yoke arms 39A and 3913 as byclamping bolts 44. The lower or terminal end 43A of the cam rod 43 hasreduced diameter relative to the diameter of the main portion of rod 43.The two differently diametered portions are joined by a tapered portion43B. The smaller diametered portion 43A of cam rod 43 is movable freelythrough juxtaposed semi-circular notches 44 in the edges of jaws 31. Thetwo notches 44 define a substantially circular hole whose diameter isslightly larger than the diameter of portion 43A of cam rod 43. Thusrelative longitudinal motion of rod 43 and support bar 32 which permitsentry or withdrawal of portion 43A of cam rod 43 in the hole defined bynotches 44 has no effect on the jaws 31 and no closing action thereofoccurs. If on the other hand, tapered portion 433 .and the largerdiametered main body of cam rod 43 enter between the notches 44, thecamming action of tapered portion 43A and the main body 43 of said camrod impart a scissor-like spread to the wings 31B of clamping jaws 31 inopposition to the bias of spring 37. This pivots the jaws 31 into theclosed clamping condition of their jaw claws 31A as is illustrated inFIGURE 9.

A safety arrangement is provided to prevent complete closure of the jawsto the position shown in FIGURE 9 in the event that no container lies ina position to have its neck clamped by jaws 31. To this end a bracket 45is secured as by bolts 45A to the support bar 32 adjacent its lower end.A slidable feeler plunger 46 is vertically supported in freely slidablemanner by the arm 45B of bracket 45. This feeler 46 has a head 46A whichlimits downward movement of said plunger 46. A reduced portion 46B isprovided at the lower extremity of said plunger 46.

Notches 47 are provided in jaws 31. These notches 47 are dimensioned topermit the jaws 31 to close when the reduced portion 46B of said plungerlies in the space defined by them. However, if the larger diameteredportion of plunger 46 above said reduced portion 46B lies between thenotches 47, as is illustrated in FIGURE 10, the jaws 31 cannot closecompletely.

The presence of a container is necessary to elevate the feeler plunger46 so that its portion 463 will lie between the notches 47. Thiselevation is effected by engagement of the lower end or nose 46C of thefeeler plunger 46 with a surface 12A or 12E of a container A or 1613 asthe case may be during the downward stroke of the filling head 15underlying a particular container. These containers are placed on asuitable conveyor C (FIG- URE 4) which underlies the turret structureand moves in synchronism with the frame parts 21 and 22 thereof. Thecontainers 10A or 10B to be filled are positioned either manually orautomatically in conventional ways in spaced relationship on conveyor Cso that one underlies each filling head 15 and travels at synchronousspeed therewith.

Guides G may be positioned on the conveyor C to maintain the spacedposition of containers placed thereon.

A fork-like member 48 (FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7) having tines 43A and 48Bis adjustably supported on a threaded support rod 49 which is suspendedfixedly as by nuts 50 (FIGURE 4) from the turret frame part 22. One suchmember 43 is provided for each head structure 15. The tines 48A and 48Bextend laterally from the support rod and on opposite sides of the bar32 underlying the cross pin 42 thereon so that they lie in the verticalpath of travel of said cross pin 42. The elevation of the fork-likemember 48 relative to its threaded support rod 49 above conveyor C maybe adjusted by the locking nuts 51 for purposes presently to bedescribed.

Operation A filling machine having heads 15 each equipped with theadjunct herein above described is operated in the following manner.

The cross pin 42 is inserted into the appropriate one of the holes 41 ofthe jaw supporting bar 32 so that in the uppermost vertical strokeposition of the filling head 15, the jaws 31 are at a selected levelabove conveyor C which permits the nose end 46C of the feeler pin 46 tothen lie at a level just slightly above the upper lip of the neck 11A or113 of the container 10A or 10B as the case may be which is to befilled. The plurality of holes 41 permit selection of that one suitablefor a container or any selected height. This is the condition of theparts at the position I in FIGURE 4 and as seen in FIGURE 5. At thattime the cam follower 24 rides on the high surface portion 25A ofstationary cam 25. As the turret 2i? advances from position I to theposition II of FIGURE 4, cam follower 24 moves over descending surface258 of cam 25 and rides ofi this descending surface just prior toreaching position II under gravity action of weight 25. During theperiod of descent the filling head 15 with the adjunct carried by itsbar 23 move downwardly toward the underlying container 10A or ltlB asthe case may be. In this descending movement and prior to the arrival ofthe head at position II, the nose 45C of feeler 46 engages the topsurface 12A or MB of the underlying container. After such engagementoccurs further descent of the bar 23 first causes feeler pin 46 to beelevated sufficiently relative to the notches 47 so that its reducedportion 46B now lies aligned with these notches. Thus the jaws 31 andtheir faces 31A may be moved to a clamping condition. However, beforeany clamping movement of the jaws occurs, the open jaws move downwardlyfurther over the neck 13A or 13B of the underlying container MA or 103into coplanar alignment with the groove 14A or 1413 thereof and the jaws31 rest on the upper surface 12A or 12B of the container MBA or 16313 asthe case may be (see FIGURE 13). On further descent of the head and itssupport bar 23, the nozzle 16 and sleeve 27 enter the open mouth of thecontainer. However, as jaws 31 now are resting upon said surfaces 12A or12B, their support bar 32 slides upwardly freely relative to its supportbracket arms 39A and 39B. In the further downward descent of head 15, itcarries with it the cam rod 43 whose reduced end 43A first enters thespace defined between the notches 44 of the jaws 31. On further descentof head 15 the larger diametered portion 43 of the cam rod is movedbetween the jaw notches 44 of jaws 31 causing them to close against thebiasing action of spring 37 with their jaw faces 31A in clampingrelationship in grooves 14A or 1413 of the container 19A or B as thecase may be. At this time the cross pin 42 engages the fork tines 48A offixed fork 48 and this prevents any further downward displacement of thejaws 31 and thus of the container necks 11A or 1113. Subsequently infurther descent of the head 15, its resilient bellows member 17 comes torest on the upper lip or rim of the container neck 11A or 11B beingpressed into sealing relationship therewith by the magnitude of theweight 25. At the same time a relative upward displacement of thisbellows member 17 occurs against the biasing action of the spring 29which becomes compressed. This displacement exposes the valve ports 16Cpermitting fluid to be ejected into the container to fill it.

Since the jaws are clamped in grooves 14A or 14B of the respectivecontainers and are locked against further descent by fork 48, thecompression of the bellows member 17 against the lip of the container toeffect a seal cannot cause collapse or deformation of the body of thecontainer 19A or 1GB below the clamped neck portions thereof. Inconsequence, accurate filling occurs starting at position II at whichtime the positional condition of the component parts is that shown inFIGURE 14.

This positional condition is maintained for a dwell period beyondposition 11 for a time long enough to efiect complete filling of thecontainer with fluid ejected into it via the open ports 16C. Uponcompletion of the dwell period beyond position II the cam follower 24rides onto the ascending portion 25C of the stationary cam 25 (FIG- URE4) causing elevating movement of the filling head 15 and the componentparts of the adjunct or attachment of this invention.

The elevating motion of the head 15 causes cam rod 46 to risesutficiently to permit its reduced portion 43A to become aligned withjaw notches 44 of the jaws 31 permitting them to move to unclampingcondition under the action of spring 37 and release the container.Further upward movement of the head 15 carries the nozzle 16 upwardly toclear the neck of the container in which it has been inserted duringfilling. Also the: nose 46C of the feeler 46 is elevated by continuedupward movement of the unclarnped jaws to clear the open mouth of theneck so that the filled container may be passed to a delivery station(not shown) for ready removal from the conveyor C of the fillingmachine.

When the cam roller 24 again reaches the high surface 25A of stationarycam 25, all parts are restored to the condition shown at position I ofFIGURE 4 and as shown in FIGURE 5 ready for a repetition of the cycledescribed in filling another container.

If at any time a container fails to appear on the conveyor C for fillingby a head as it reaches position I, descent of head continues in itsapproach to position ll. However, since no container then underlies thehead, the feeler nose 46C of feeler pin 46 has nothing to engage it. Inconsequence, no relative vertical upward displacement of this feeler pin46 occurs and its larger diametered portion 46E now remains at restbetween the notches 47 of the clamping jaw, the condition shown inFIGURE 10. This prevents the jaws 31 from being moved to the closedcondition of FIGURE 9 under actuation of the cam rod 43 since itstapered portion 43B and wider diametered portion 43 cannot be forcedinto the space between the notches 44 of the clamping jaws 31. The jaws31 then cannot he accidentally closed below the resilient bellows member17 and accidentally cause a vertical displacement of the latter toexpose the ports 16C of the fluid dispensing nozzle 27. A safety featureis thus introduced preventing accidental discharge of fluid from afilling head when no container appears below it during a filling cycleof the particular head.

The adjunct of this invention it can be seen is readily attachable toheads of filling machines currently extant as well as installable asequipment of new machines. Moreover, although described withrelationship to a rotary type filling machine, it is equally applicableto linear feed type machines having vertically reciprocable fillingheads. Likewise it is adaptable by reason of the adjustable positions ofits component parts, to accommodate containers of different size andcubic content. Its use additionally is not restricted to containershaving the specific shapes and contours depicted in FIGURES 1A and 1Bbut may be used with any collapsible container equipped with a groove orthe like in its neck around which the jaws 31 may be clamped in such acondition to prevent sealing thrust of the filling head bellows 17 frombeing transmitted below the neck during container filling operations.Prevention of transmission of this thrust precludes deformation of thecontainers and insures accurate fill.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described,variations in structural detail within the scope of the appended claimsare possible and are contemplated. There is no intention, therefore, oflimitation to the exact disclosure herein presented.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjunct for attachment to a filling head of a container fillingmachine which head includes means thereon engageable with the rim mouthof a resilient container to be pressed thereagainst when said head ismoved downward to filling position on said rim to preclude pressureinduced deformation of a resilient container during its filling by thehead, said adjunct comprising gripping means engageable with the neckportion of said container below said mouth rim prior to and during thefilling of said container to prevent transmission of pressure betweenthe engaging means on the filling head and the container mouth rim tothe body of the container below its neck portion during said filling tothereby preclude the deformation of said body, and operating means inconjunction with said gripping means and responsive to relative motionof said filling head with respect to said container mouth rim to effectclosing and opening of said gripping means about said neck portion.

2. The adjunct of claim 1 wherein said gripping means include a pair ofpivotally supported jaws between which said neck portion of saidcontainer may be disposed and wherein said operating means includes acam member insertable between portions of said jaws to effect theirclosing, and biasing means to open said jaws when said cam member iswithdrawn from between said portions of said jaws.

3. The adjunct of claim 2 including jaw closure preventing meansinsertable between other portions of the said jaws and means to supportsaid jaw closure preventing means so that on movement of said fillinghead to filling position said jaw closure preventing means isdisplaceable only by engagement with a container to preclude completeclosing of said jaws by said cam member in the absence of a container ina position to be filled by the filling head to which said adjunct isattached.

4. An adjunct for attachment to a filling head of a container fillingmachine which head includes means thereon engageable with the rim mouthof a resilient container to be pressed thereagainst when said head ismoved downward to filling position on said rim to preclude pressureinduced deformation of the resilient container during its filling by thehead, said adjunct comprising a bracket attachable to a moving part ofsaid filling head, a bar slidably supported by said bracket, a pair ofjaws pivotally supported by said bar and engageable with a neck portionof said container below said mouth rim prior L0 and during filling ofsaid container to prevent transmission of pressure between the engagingmeans on the filling head and the container rim mouth to the body of thecontainer below its neck portion during said filling to thereby precludethe said deformation of said body, a cam member carried by said bracketand insertable between certain portions of said jaws during movement ofsaid filling head to eifect their closing about said neck portion, andspring biasing means to open said jaws when said cam member is withdrawnfrom between said portions of said jaws.

5. The adjunct of claim 4 including means for adjusting the position ofsaid bar relative to said bracket.

6. The adjunct of claim 4 including jaw closure preventing means carriedby said slidably supported bar and insertable between certain otherportions of said jaws and displaceable only by engagement with acontainer to preclude their complete closing by said cam member in theabsence of a container in position to be filled by the filling head towhich said bracket is attached.

7. The adjunct of claim 6 wherein said jaw closure preventing meansincludes a feeler pin member having portions of differing diameterrespectively insertable between said certain other portions of saidjaws.

8. The adjunct of claim 6 wherein said feeler member has a noseengageable with a surface of said container.

9. For use with a container filling machine an adjunct to preventcollapse of a plastic container during its filling by a filling head ofsaid machine, said adjunct comprising means on said head engageable withthe rim mouth of the plastic container to be pressed thereagainst whensaid head is moved downward to filling position on said rim, a bracketattachable to the filling head, a bar, means for slidably supportingsaid bar from said bracket, means for adjusting the position of said barrelative to said bracket, gripping means pivotally carried by said barand adapted to engage the neck of said container prior to and during itsfilling, means to bias said gripping means toward an open conditionrelative to said neck, cam means movable with the bracket betweencertain positions of said gripping means to a gripping position aboutsaid neck portion, and means mounting said cam means for relativemovement with respect to said gripping means, said gripping means ingripping position about said container neck serving to prevent collapseof the container by pressure exerted by said engaging means on saidfilling head during filling operations thereof, and means to efiectmovement of said cam means relative to said gripping means to open andclose said gripping means.

10. For use with a container filling machine having a reciprocallymovable filling head equipped with means thereon engageable with the rimmouth of a resilient container to be pressed thereagainst when the headis moved to filling position on said rim, an adjunct attachable to thefilling head to permit accurate filling of a resilient containerthereby, said adjunct comprising a bracket attachable t0 the fillinghead, a bar, means for adjustably and slidably supporting said bar fromsaid bracket, gripping means pivotally carried by said bar andengageable with a neck portion of said container prior to and duringfilling of the container to prevent transmission of sealing pressurebetween the rim-engaging means of the filling head and the container rimmouth to the body of the container below its neck portion during saidfilling to thereby preclude collapse of said body, means to bias saidgripping means toward an open condition relative to said neck and cammeans responsive to relative motion of said filling head with respect tosaid container to effect closing and opening of said gripping meansabout said neck portion.

11. An adjunct for use with a container filling machine to preventcollapse of a plastic container during its filling via a filling head ofthe machine which head has engaging means thereon which is pressedagainst the rim mouth of the container neck when said head is moved intofilling position on said rim comprising a bracket attachable to movewith the filling head, a bar member slidably supported by the bracket, apin member adjustably positionable in said bar member and engageablewith said bracket to selectively locate the position of said barrelative to said bracket, means in the movement path of said pin forengaging it to limit displacement of said bar in said bracket, a pair ofmovable jaws pivotally secured to said bar, biasing means for normallymaintaining said jaws in open condition, jaw closure preventing meansnormally positioned between the jaws and displaceable to free the jawmembers for closure by engagement with a container to be filled, cammeans movable between portions of the jaw members to displace them intojaw closing position about the neck of the container to be filled priorto and during filling of the container by the filling head of themachine, and means mounting said cam means for relative movement withrespect to said jaw members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS924,360 Kirkegaard June 8, 1909 1,107,114 Rose Aug. 11, 1914 1,590,086Day et a1 June 22, 1926 1,742,288 Shields Jan. 7, 1930 2,073,432 VonSegebaden et a1 Mar. 9, 1937 2,222,617 Hothersall et a1 Nov. 26, 19402,698,500 Clegg Ian. 4, 1955 2,715,004 Fox Aug. 9, 1955

